


The Origins of a Man with a Death Wish

by OTPGalore19



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Arrow (TV 2012) Season 4, F/M, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-08
Updated: 2019-02-09
Packaged: 2019-10-24 16:21:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17707610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OTPGalore19/pseuds/OTPGalore19
Summary: After surviving a gang war, Jacob Hawthorne returns to Star City with hopes of settling into his old life. Away from the darkness he was submerged into. However, avoiding his demons prove challenging during an encounter with Damian Darhk. A man who is involuntarily connected to his past, and just so happens to be plotting against the Green Arrow.AU/Canon Divergence/Ongoing.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'll start off by saying that Arrow is one of my favorite TV shows, despite the crappy writing in season 4. I'm obsessed with Sara Lance, and she's the only woman that I ship Oliver with in the show aside from Felicity. And before I get flamed for shipping Olicity, let me first point out that I'm highly aware of Oliver's romantic relationship with Laurel in the comics. I just don't ship them in the show. 
> 
> As for this story, I've been wanting to write a story that delves a little bit deeper into Thea's story arc, while also incorporating my own spin on how things turn out. It takes place in S4 and I plan on following the original storylines. I just won't be including or describing everything that happens while I incorporate my OC.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own anything that has to do with Arrow, the CW, or DC comics. I only own Jake and the original characters from his story.

Life had a funny way of fucking people up when they least expect it, especially when it came to the life of Jake Hawthorne. His life had never been easy before, but at least then he didn't have to wake up every single morning with the need to just make it through another day. That feeling, that pain, had started 5 years ago when his dad was murdered.

Before then, Jake had lived a decent life with his parents in Starling City. They lived in a fairly safe apartment complex in the heart of the town. His father was a cop and his mother was a nurse. Jake had learned early on how to fight from his uncle Benji and his hardworking father, who thought of the skill as a necessity in life. As time passed and Jake got older, the need to protect himself became a want, an interest. Discovering and learning about all the different fighting styles became his passion.

But that passion had also escalated his natural instinct to start trouble, which often landed him in his father's office at the station. His arsenal of mischief ranged from filming himself free running on private property to "finishing" fights in school. He got lucky when Detective Lance's eldest daughter offered to help him stay out of trouble. Laurel was like a big sister to him. She would look out for him while he was on the streets and watch over him when his parents worked late night shifts.

Sara took an immediate liking to Jake, recognizing his untamable spirit and playful behavior. They were the ultimate trouble making duo, making Laurel's life a living hell as they'd crash the Queen's famous charity events and dinner parties. The youngest Lance sister also had an interesting romantic backstory with Benji, who at the time was breezing through his early 20's.

And then everything took a tragic turn for Jake and the people he cared about, starting in late 2006 with the presumed death of his uncle during a 2 year term in Afghanistan.

Jake felt empty after that, he wouldn't cry because he knew that he wouldn't be able to stop if he did. Instead, he'd fake a smile and just try to get through each day.

Unfortunately, that method didn't work on Thea Queen, one of the few people he had been able to talk to after everything. Their friendship was unexpected to say the least, as Jake had never seen himself associating with someone as self-centered and privileged as the youngest Queen. In fact, he was pretty sure that they wouldn't have even given each other the time of day if Jake hadn't been close with Laurel.

But there was another side to Thea, someone who was just as broken and damaged underneath, someone who cared about other people. Over the course of their friendship, Jake couldn't help the small crush that he developed on the girl.

It was amusing to Jake, looking back on his past and realizing how naïve he was when it came to understanding the real world. It was common sense for him, his dad dealt with people who poisoned this earth on a daily basis. And yet, he still couldn't truly understand how fucked up the world was until he experienced it for himself.

In a way, being kidnapped and stranded for 4 years in Northeastern Brazil was a blessing for him. He now had both the knowledge and experience to do something, to help make a difference. And after everything he had heard once he returned to Star City, it seemed he wasn't the only one who agreed.

* * *

**Present Day: October, 2015**

**Star City, 11:35 AM**

Jake let out a nerve wrecking sigh as he stood in front of his mother's apartment door. He couldn't help the sick feeling that overcame him as he finally built up the courage to knock.

He could hear the sound of feet shuffling on the other side before the door opened wide, revealing a fairly short middle aged woman with long brown hair. She was dressed in a pair of blue scrubs. Her purse hung from her shoulder, indicating that she was about to leave the apartment.

Jake made eye contact with his mother, a nervous smile plays on his lips, "Hey, ma..."

She dropped her purse on the ground as she stares up at her only child in shock, "Oh my God. Jacob, what the hell happened?! You promised me before leaving that you would check in with me everyday! I hadn't heard from you in almost 4 years, I thought something happened!"

Jake enveloped his mother in a tight embrace as she started to sob. Choking back his own tears he rubbed her back in comfort.

His mother is the first to pull away, stepping back and taking in his new appearance. She leaned forward once again, her fingers trace over the scar on his left eyebrow and into his short navy blue curls.

"God, I am **so** sorry that I wasn't there for you when your dad died. You needed me and I drowned myself in my work at the hospital. I should've been there, out of all the days that I've worked and you were alone, I should've been there," she looked away, unable to meet her son's eyes.

Jake gathered his mother's hands into his own, forcing her to turn to him again, "Its not your fault, ma. I left because I needed space, I felt suffocated. I held all of my emotions in for so long, and I needed a moment to myself."

He paused, sighing as he glanced down to his feet, "I wanted to escape from everything, to take my mind off of all the bad shit that was going on in my life. But, I'm sorry. I should've called to let you know I was alive. I'll explain everything that happened later, but, uh, if you don't mind, I'd like to take you to work. You can catch me up on everything during the ride."

Wiping the tears from her eyes, his mother bent over to pick up her purse, giving Jake a small smile before locking up and following him out the door.

* * *

Jake sighed as he stood outside of the district attorney's office. He was still trying to make complete sense of the new information he had been given from his mother.

He already knew most of what she told him, especially when it came to the decimation of the Glades. Honestly, he was just glad that his mother didn't know too much about the incident. If she knew what happened and how it was the sole reason his father died, she wouldn't be able to handle it. He wanted to protect her.

And he couldn't stop thinking about Thea once his mother brought up Moira's murder. His thoughts of her and everything that happened between them before he left plagued his mind.

**October, 2011**

**Queens Mansion**

_"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Thea stomped angrily after Jake, following him to his truck parked at the front of the Mansion._

_Jake turned around with a small smirk on his face, leaning into the driver seat door, "What can I say? I couldn't pass up the opportunity for a drug bust."_

_Thea rolled her eyes in annoyance, glaring at him when a laugh slips from his lips, "This isn't funny, Jake! I needed those for the party tonight!"_

_Jake breathed out an exhausted sigh, running a rough hand through his curly mop of dark hair, "You're right Thea, this isn't funny. Nothing about the idea of you becoming a drug addict amuses me. Tommy was right, okay? Oliver wouldn't want to see you like this."_

_Thea scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest, "Well guess what? Oliver isn't here, what he wants for me doesn't matter anymore. My brother is **gone**."_

_The brunette teenager paused her words and looks away, choking back a silent sob. Not long after, she turned back to Jake, masking her emotions with a heated glare._

_"Y'know, it's funny that you're preaching to me about what **my** brother would want when you're still obsessed with what happened to your dad. I guess we're both not getting the memo."_

_Letting the words sink in, Jake nodded his head before giving Thea a blank stare. He shoved his hands inside the pockets of his cargo shorts._

_It doesn't take long for Thea to realize what she just said, and a look of regret ghosted over her features as she stepped closer to Jake, "Jake... I'm sorry. I didn't mean it."_

_Jake shrugged away from Thea as she reached for him, "No, don't apologize. You're right, I should move on."_

_He turned away from her for a brief moment before staring back again with an intense look in his eyes, "I shouldn't be searching for the guy that murdered my dad for no reason. I should be off to college by now, living my life. I mean, why shouldn't I? Like you said, it doesn't matter what my dad wants. He's gone. Why should I care?"_

_Jake paused, letting out a fake laugh._

_"I **know** that my dad is dead. I confirmed his body at the morgue. But Oliver? Your dad? They're missing, you don't know if they died Thea. You can have hope and I can't because I know what happened to my dad."_

_Thea looked away with tears in her eyes._

_Jake glanced down at his feet, he shook his head before letting out an bitter scoff, "What am I doing wrong, Thea? I mean, should I just drown myself working at a job? Or should I spend the rest of my life consuming and buying drugs from a guy who lives in a sketchy RV?"_

_Jake stepped closer to Thea, pulling the sleeves of his hoodie up and thrusting his arms out in front of him, "The other two options? I could leave this God forsaken city for a while and try to move on, or I can keep doing this," he paused, nodding down to his bruised hands as Thea covered her mouth in shock._

_Thea closed the gap between them, her fingers gently trail over the bruising on his knuckles._

_"Oh my God. Jake, what the hell!?"_

**Present Day**

Jake took a deep breath before entering the office, sporting a small smile as he stared at the blonde young woman in front of him in amusement.

She was leaning over her desk, spinning a pen between her fingers as she focused on the scattered papers in front of her.

"Imagine my reaction when I found out you were the new kickass DA that's taking the city by storm. Congrats Laurel, you made it to the big leagues!" He exclaimed, a proud grin adorning his features.

Laurel lifted her head up, jumping back slightly in shock as she stared up at a pair of deep blue eyes. The shock shown in her facial expression had quickly disappeared, turning into a relieved one. She pushed back her chair and stood up before rushing over to Jake.

Jake sighed into Laurel's shoulder as she enveloped him into a tight embrace. They hold onto each other for a moment before Jake pulled away with a grin, "Hell, if I keep getting hugs like that I might not ever want to leave again."

Laurel gave Jake a playful shove as they both move back to her desk.

Gathering the papers on her desk, Laurel gave Jake a pointed look, "I'll make sure to put a tracker on you the next time you disappear. No calls, texts or letters? Seriously, Jake?"

Jake inhaled deeply, sinking down into the cushioned chair in front of Laurel's desk, "I know, and I'm sorry. I'll spare you the excuses and explain everything later, but it's a long story. Right now, I'm back and that's all that matters."

Laurel stacked the papers up in a pile and set them aside. She glanced at Jake before taking a seat behind her desk, "Have you talked to Thea?"

The young man in front of her sighed, rubbing his gloved hands together before adjusting the baseball cap on his head, "No, I uh...just got back. I visited my mom before coming here, I'll see her later on tonight."  
Laurel gave a Jake a knowing smile, her grey eyes glinting in mild amusement, "Thea missed you. In fact, I'm pretty sure she was more upset than I was when you left."

Jake nodded his head in response, looking past Laurel and out of the window. As he stared at the glowing sun peeking out from the blind covered window, he couldn't help but think about all the good times he had shared with the youngest Queen.

His train of thought was interrupted by the woman in front of him, who placed a small file in front of him.

Laurel cleared her throat, meeting Jake's eyes again with a hopeful and slightly uneasy look on her face, "News came in a few months ago about Phillippe Garmudela, a crew of fisherman found his body in the Atlantic Ocean, near the coast of Rio De Janeiro. I already informed your mother."

She paused, reaching over to grasp onto Jakes gloved hand as he stares at the open file, unblinkingly, "We got him, Jake. You can finally be at peace."

The young man in front of her couldn't help the empty feeling inside him as he stared down at the words pertaining to the death of his father's killer. He wanted to feel relieved, knowing that the man who murdered his father finally got his karma. Especially since he was responsible for the man's untimely demise. But all he felt inside was emptiness, a gaping hole in his heart. He lost a part of himself that he could never get back.

The phone rang suddenly, bringing Jake out of his thoughts. Laurel answered it, closing the file and putting it away.

Jake turned to Laurel as she murmured quietly into the phone, a look of worry ghosting over her features.

She stood up suddenly after hanging up, "Hey, I'm really sorry for cutting this short. But there was an attack at City Hall, and my dad's there," she rushed to grab her purse and made her way to the door.

Jake stood up as well with a small smile, "I can go with you. I don't really have anything to do until later on, and I can go see your dad since he's there, make sure he's okay. Besides, I wanted to see if I could get a head start at the station."

Laurel turned around with slightly panicked eyes, "Oh, no! That's fine! You just got back, and I'm sure that my dad's fine. Besides, there are a few new places in the city, and I wouldn't want you to miss out on that. I'll put in a good word for you at the station and update you on everything later."

Jake scrunched his nose in confusion at Laurel's weird behavior for a moment, nodding his head afterwards, "Alright then. I'll just go meet my mom during her lunch break."

Laurel sent Jake a small smile before as he left the office.

* * *

From his seat at the bar, Jake smiled slightly, admiring the scene in front of him on the dance floor.

Verdant had seemed to be the go-to place for nightlife in Star City nowadays, and Jake couldn't find it in himself to disagree with that as he bobbed his head to the loud and upbeat music. Clubs had always been his type of scenery. The atmosphere coupled with the upbeat music awakened his spontaneous and adventurous personality.

His eyes roamed over the club, scanning over the dozens of faces colored with the hues of the flashing multicolored lights from the ceiling. He repeated that a few times before stopping on a particular one near the entrance.

Jake nearly dropped his glass of iced bourbon in shock as he sits up in his stool. His deep blue eyes froze, staring at a certain green eyed young woman.

She looked so different from the last time he saw her, with her short dark hair and eyes filled with darkness. It was like the privileged young girl he once knew had transformed into a mature, down to earth young woman.

Jake gulped nervously, feeling like his heart dropped down to his stomach as Thea finally made eye contact.

He turned away from her shocked gaze, finishing what was left of his bourbon and downing the two shots of Russian vodka he had ordered minutes ago. He sighed, relishing in the burning sensation that rushed down his throat before standing up and turning away from the bar, facing Thea as she strides over to him.

Jake sported a faint smile once Thea reached him, she stood a few feet away with her arms lazily positioned on her chest. Her green eyes dilated slightly as she looked him over a few times. She just stared at him afterwards in awe, the shock in her facial expression disappeared as she consciously accepted his presence.

Walking up to her, Jake nodded his head as he looked Thea over, noticing the leather jacket and the torn black jeans she wore.

"I'm impressed, Queen. Edgy looks good on you."

Thea scoffed in amusement before pulling Jake in for a brief hug, running a hand through his dyed hair after she pulls away. "I can't say the same for you. What the hell did you do to your hair? I liked the curly afro, made you look like a dork."

Jake chuckled, glancing down to his feet for a brief moment as his cheeks flush a bright red. "I had to shave most of it, it was pretty hot where I was. And I've always wanted to dye it."

He paused, a confident smirk plays on his lips, "Don't worry, though. I'm still a dork."

Thea shook her head, looking away with a small smile as the music dies down a little bit. She then frowned for a brief moment, sighing afterwards as she turned back to Jake with apologetic eyes, "Hey I- uh, I never got to apologize for what I said about your dad, before you left."

Jake sighed, shaking his head as moved closer to Thea,"I didn't leave because of you. I mean, yeah, I was pissed afterwards. But I knew that you didn't mean it, I forgave you a long time ago."

Thea let out a brief sigh of relief, sending the man in front of her small glare afterwards while playfully punching his shoulder, "Y'know, I get that you needed space. But not keeping in contact with the people who care about you was kind of a dick move."

Before Jake could respond, Thea's cellphone beeped from her jacket pocket. She excused herself, moving over to the entrance to take the call.

Waiting for Thea's return, Jake looked around the club once more. His breathing stopped for a few moments when he spotted a shaded male figure upstairs in the VIP section. The figure saluted Jake, exposing the familiar skull shaped brand mark on the base of his tanned hand.

Jake turned his gaze away from the VIP section when Thea returned to him with a tired sigh.

"That was Ollie, I have to go," she told him ran a hand through her dark hair in exhaustion.

Jake shrugged as they both start walking to the entrance, "Its fine, really. I actually have to get home in a little bit. My mom's hell-bent on keeping me around at all times now that I'm back. Besides, we have plenty of time to catch up."

Thea gave Jake a small smile as they both headed for the front entrance, "Yeah, we do. It was good seeing you."

* * *

Jake whistled softly into the night, stuffing his gloved hands inside of his pockets as he made his way home, taking a shortcut through an abandoned area of the Glades.

While making his way through a fenced alleyway in between two apartment buildings, he stopped moving after hearing the sound of footsteps behind him. Turning his head slightly, Jake glanced back at the familiar figure behind him. He recognized him from the club.

Taking a deep breath, Jake spoke up in a calm tone, "Look, man, I don't want any trouble. You can just walk away, unscathed and alive. It doesn't have to end with your blood covering my hands."

The hooded man behind him laughed and proceeded to pull out a knife from his back pocket, "Ah, Vic told me you were a comedian. Unfortunately, your act is gonna have to get cut short **garoto**. Ain't that right boys?"

Jake exhaled as two more guys jump down from the nearby fire escape, they crack their knuckles as and marched over to him. Both of them attack at the same time, swinging their arms at Jake, who dodged each punch.

When the masked one threw a punch aimed at his gut, Jake deflected it with his hand and stunned him with a strike to the forehead. He grabbed the arm and effortlessly twisted it back, dislocating the goon's shoulder. He used the masked goon as a shield, shoving him into the heavier goon with a bandana wrapped around his forehead.

Jake stepped back slightly as the heavier goon delivers a right hook to his face. He laughed, dabbing at the blood in the corner of his mouth before pulling out a butterfly knife from his jeans pocket. He stabbed the heavier goon in the wrist after striking the pressure point in the nape of his neck. Then, in a rush of adrenaline and anger, he slammed the heavier goons head against the brick wall.

Jake spit out the blood from his mouth as the hooded man behind him lets out a battle cry, slashing his right shoulder blade with his knife.

In response, Jake let out a brief grunt of pain before flipping the man over his wounded shoulder.

He wrapped one of his arms around the man's neck in a tight grip, lifting his body up from the ground, "I lied when I said you could live. I won't risk the lives of my loved ones," he closed his eyes as he twisted the man's neck in an unnatural angle thus snapping it.


	2. Chapter 2

Jake sighed, running a gentle hand over his wounded shoulder as he stared into his own reflection. He stood on bare feet in front of a full length mirror that was attached to the back of his bedroom door, half naked and somewhat wet from the shower he had taken moments ago.

He slowly traced over the small flesh wound near the top of his right shoulder, the area around it had reddened with blood. Fortunately for him, the wound wasn't severe enough for him to go to a hospital or anything. Otherwise, he would've had a headache of a conversation with his mother.

She was asleep by the time he had gotten home last night, giving him time to cover up what happened or at the least make a believable excuse. He didn't want to talk about what happened, it would expose that darkness inside him.

Thea, Laurel, his mother... they just wouldn't understand. He returned home to find normalcy, to immerse himself in the way things were before Brazil. But now, he just couldn't revel in that feeling. What happened last night, spilling blood in his hometown, was a bittersweet reminder that he couldn't escape the person he had become.

It sent chills down his spine knowing that truth. But, at the same time, he wasn't afraid of that revelation. It was who he was now.

The wooden floorboards creak underneath his feet as he makes a full turn to the right, rotating his body in a circle. His deep blue eyes scan over the scars all over his back.

Each scar held an equal amount of significance for Jake. They represented the hardships and obstacles he had to face in order to survive. He needed to become someone else, someone with enough willpower and instinct to survive.

_December 2011- Salvador, Brazil_

_The hard, steel door slide open, revealing a tanned skinned man with tattooed arms. His hazel brown eyes scanned over the briefly lit room, and he smirked once he made contact with the chained up young man in front of him._

_Crossing his arms, the tanned man stepped forward, leaning in slightly as he spoke up, "Do you know who I am, kid?"_

_Jake scoffed with a snarl, tugging on the chains that held his arms up from the ceiling. "Yeah, you're the amateur, drug dealing, son of a bitch who shot my dad to pieces."_

_The Brazilian man laughed, shaking his head briefly before delivering a sharp punch to Jakes jaw. The chains that supported his arms rattled from the force of the blow._

_Phillipe shook his head again before leaning in to ruffle Jakes hair, "I'm impressed kid. But you're only half right. I mean, I'm smart enough to sneak drugs into the U.S, but I wouldn't be able to orchestrate a murder so intricately planned."_

_The man paused, stepping back and pulling out check with too many zeroes from his pocket,_ " _I was hired to do the dirty work, the pay was just too good to pass up. The big shot who paid me, wanted you taken care of too, he didn't want any loose ends to tie into his master plan. Hell, he creeped me out enough to make me think twice in pushing his buttons, I guess losing your wife in a mugging fucks up your life."_

_Jake lifted his head up in shock, the anger in his eyes disappear as he silently goes over everything he knew about Malcolm Merlyn._

_It didn't make since, why would someone as successful and rich as Malcolm plot his fathers murder? The middle aged business man had no known ties to the Hawthorne's, and they weren't exactly high on the social status pyramid._

" _What's' the matter kid? Cat got ya tongue?" Phillipe chuckled softly, pulling out a cigar from his pocket._

_Jake turned to him after a moment, shaking his head slightly in disbelief, "That's bullshit, I don't believe you."_

_The Brazilian man in front of him laughed again before lighting the cigarette and placing it between his chapped lips. He welcomed the tobacco with a deep inhale as he motioned to the door, inviting in a pair of guards._

" _That's fine, I got proof to back it up. But right now, we got more important things to discuss."_

_Phillippe paused as the two guards moved to stand beside him. Both men cross their heavily muscled arms and give Jake a blank stare._

" _I could've killed ya. Put a bullet in your head and be done with it. Instead, I brought ya here. Ya see, I have an older brother in Bolivia. Victor, he owns a big shot drug cartel that runs through the black-market in Rio. He's also the bastard who runs the gang I'm a part of, and he just so happens to be looking for new talent. All ya have to do is survive the_ _ **initiation**_ _process._

_One of the guards that stood beside Phillippe uncrossed his arms, he smashed his fists together as he sent Jake a deadly glare._

_Jake looked away with a scoff as he realized that he had no choice in the matter. He turned back to Phillipe with a fearless lopsided grin, his blue eyes narrowed in determination._

" _I'm gonna kill you."_

**PRESENT DAY**

Jakes cellphone chimed, startling him out of his thoughts as he turns away from the mirror. He nearly tripped over the skateboard that poked out from underneath his bed as he dived onto the mattress. Removing the phone that was buried underneath his pillow, he answered the call before its second ring.

"Hello?" Jake sat up, turning his head towards his TV as the commercial break ended and returned to an episode of "That 70's Show".

"Hey, Jake! Listen, I know you just got back, but I need a favor."

The urgency in Thea's rushed tone prompted Jake to raise an eyebrow in question. He stands up and mutes the TV, moving over to his drawer on the left side of his room.

"Damn, Queen. You're really milking those friend favors," He teased with a hearty laugh, pulling out a pair of black socks.

Thea let out an amused scoff, her mind momentarily wandered off to the times Jake would bail her out of messy situations, "Yeah, well I kind of promised a friend another favor. You remember Madison Danforth?"

With furrowed brows, Jake crouched down to his black duffel bag next to the dresser. He proceeded to search for a T-shirt and a pair of jeans, "Yeah, we met during your _extravagant_ "Sweet 16" party. We were both wasted off of Don Julio and shitty beer."

He paused in thought for a moment, smoothing his curly hair back, "I think we made out."

Thea grimaced, scrunching up her nose in disgust, "Jesus Jake, ever heard of TMI? Anyways, I told her you were back and sorta promised that you'd meet with her. She's definitely crushing on you."

Jake chuckled softly in response, rising up from his position on the floor with a gray V-neck t-shirt and black jeans in his grasp. He moved to the desk space on the other side of his room, re-positioning the phone that was held beneath his ear.

"Really? Huh, I guess she couldn't resist my charm."

Thea rolled her eyes in response, scoffing through her phone as she approaches the doors of a hall. She opened the door and entered the room, glancing over to Jessica Danforth as she announced her campaign in front of a large crowd. Her loud and authoritative voice mixed in with the flashing of paparazzi cameras.

"Jessica's finishing up her mayoral campaign announcement. I'll send you Madison's-"

Jakes body tensed up at the sound of rapid gunfire and frantic screaming from Thea's end. He then heard Thea curse under her breath before she ends the call.

"Thea... Fuck!" Jake rushed over to his bed again, grabbing a pair of Converses before rushing out of his bedroom door.

* * *

Rush and anxiety overtake his mind as he parked on the side of the police station, slamming his door shut and running through the front doors. Passing through the officers and detectives, he searched frantically for Thea.

Then, he heard her velvety voice.

"Jake?"

He looked to the right, sighing in relief as he saw her next to Detective Lance's office. He's by her side in seconds, crushing her with his embrace.

"Jesus, Thea. Are you okay? I heard about the shooting on my way here. Shit, I ran three red lights!"

Some officers looked up with an unamused glare hearing Jake say this, but he simply ignored them.

Thea giggled, letting go of his embrace, smiling at him as he searched her expression.

"Jake, relax. I'm fine. I can survive a day without you by my side, you know."

"Just barely," He teased, which earned him a pointed look.

Just then, the door to the office opened and out appeared Oliver Queen. He glanced over to his sister for a moment before directing his gaze to Jake.

The billionaire's vibe seemed to have changed drastically from what Jake remembered. Oliver had matured, judging by appearance alone, and may have experienced tough situations that had forced him to change. Whatever had happened on that island must've opened his eyes, exposed him to a darkness in him that he never knew existed.

"Hey, how's Jessica?" Thea questioned her brother with crossed arms.

He sighed, crossing his arms as well, "She's a little shaken up. But, she'll be fine. Lance is sending over men to look after both her and Madison until this blows over." He told her before returning his attention to Jake.

There were a few moments where Oliver had seemed to be examining Jake, right before he extended his hand, "Jake. How was your trip?"

Jake straightened himself out a bit in response, stretching his hand out and firmly gripping Oliver's in a strong handshake.

"It was… eye-opening. I had fun, but I got a little homesick after a while," He glanced over to Thea as he said this, his gaze softening a bit.

Oliver merely nodded in response, releasing Jake's hand and stepping back.

Just then, a frazzled Madison steps out from one of the interrogation rooms.

Witnessing this, Thea excuses herself and moves over to check on the youngest Danforth.

After Thea's departure, Oliver turned to Jake again, clearing his throat, "Hey, I appreciate what you did for Thea while I was away. Laurel filled me on what happened, she said you broke his arm in three places."

Jake let out an anxious chuckle, running a hand through his navy curls, "Heh, yeah. It was a wild night, she practically dragged me there. All I could do was watch over her."

Oliver nodded, giving Jake a small smile, "Nonetheless, I'm glad that you were there. She was lucky to have you."

"Jake? Is that you?"

Jake turned away from Oliver and looked straight ahead to the source of the voice. He smiled faintly, his gaze landing on Madison as she approached him with Thea in tow.

"How have you been?" Jake asked, embracing the blonde, "Y'know, before the shooting?"

"Besides today, things have been pretty good. I got into University, Philosophy major," She blushed lightly, returning his hug. After pulling away, she ran a hand through her golden hair as Jake congratulated her.

Jakes eyes wandered behind Madison for a moment, locking onto Thea. She nodded her head slightly, giving him the green light.

He turned his attention back to Madison, casting a sly smirk, shoving his hands into his pockets, "Listen, its been awhile since we talked. And I know today's been really rough for you. What do you say we go out for a night in the town? We could dine and play in Dave and Busters, or we could just take a stroll through the city."

Madison took a moment to contemplate his request, giggling softtly and nodding her head soon afterwards, "We'd have to bring the guards, but yes. I'd love to catch up."

Thea watcheed as Jake took Madison's hand. She couldn't help the jealousy that overcame her as they exited the police station. It was stupid, really. She practically gave him permission to go out with Madison. And Jake was just a friend, a _really_ good friend that she was fond of. Why would she feel this way?

_**Later That Day...** _

"Thanks for stopping by the library. I really needed to get some studying in before my exam this weekend," Madison gave Jake a bright smile as they exit the library doors, hand in hand.

Jake responded by giving Madison a smirk, adjusting the bag of books on his shoulder, "It was the least I could do. I wanted to make it up to you after what happened in DB. I couldn't help it, that guy was asking for an uppercut."

As they walk down to the parking lot, Jake stiffened up, "Get behind me."

"Jake, what the hell-?" She paused in horror, staring ahead at the bloodied SUV and the deceased guards on the pavement.

Jake dropped the bag on his shoulder as he surveys his surroundings, scanning the area around him like a hawk. He narrowed his eyes after a silent moment, spotting a bloodied figure on a nearby bench. The lamp over the wooden seat had illuminated the figures head, blonde tresses of hair covering the majority of his face. Jake could see the hard lines of a crooked grin underneath the strips of hair.

He turned away from the bench to check on Madison, who was frozen in fear with tears in the brim of her eyelids.

"Madison, hey, look at me," Jake commanded with a sharp tone, gripping her chin so she could look at him.

"When I give you the go ahead, I need you to move to our to SUV," He nodded towards the dark vehicle that was six steps away to emphasize his point.

Jake glanced back to the bench, making sure the man was still there. He turned back to Madison and nodded again, shoving her gently in an attempt to get her to move.

She moved at steady pace towards the SUV, with Jake trailing just behind.

As they get closer, Jake stopped walking when heavy footsteps suddenly echo against the ground. He turned back to look at the bench again, but jumped when a small dart shot past, impaling the side of his neck.

"Jake!" Madison exclaimed, her eyes widening in fright.

"Don't stop!" He yanked out the dart and chucked it to the side. His vision began to blur as he moved to Madison.

"I'm sorry it had to be like this. Just remember that I didn't want to hurt you, _she's_ the sole thing I'm interested in."

Jake rubbed his face roughly as he continued his sloppy trek towards Madison. Despite his drugged state, he was still willing to protect her.

Then, out of nowhere, he felt a painful jolt in the center of his abdomen. The shock of the blow was enough to knock him over. He blacked out as soon as his face hit the pavement.

* * *

**Arrowcave**

"You're not going, Thea," Oliver crossed his arms, his gaze locked onto his sister.

Thea turned around with a heated glare, "You can't stop me, _Ollie_."

She paused, lacing up the rest of the strings on one of her bracers.

"You're welcome to try. Although, that didn't exactly work the last time."

Oliver glared back, not letting go of his resolve, "What happened earlier is an example of why you shouldn't go. The bloodlust is affecting you, Thea. And until we figure out a solution, you can't patrol the streets."

"Well, maybe I wouldn't be acting with my emotions if you hadn't acted with yours when Ras stabbed me!" She snapped venomously.

A stunned silence filled the air, followed by nervous stares from Diggle and Felicity.

Oliver held his gaze, despite the shock of his sisters words.

Thea sighed after another beat, regretting her words, "Ollie, I didn't mean that. It's just... Jake just got back. And after what happened with Mom and Dad- I can't lose him."

Oliver sighed, softening his glare before moving over to embrace the brunette, "You don't have to apologize."

"I'm worried too." Clad in black leather, Laurel approached Thea, moving away from the rack of weapons. She offered the youngest Queen a sympathetic smile.

"But this is Jake that we're talking about. He's a fighter, and stubborn as hell. He'll be fine."

"He's strong," Oliver agreed, nodding, "Either way, we'll be there."

* * *

"What the fuck?" Jake muttered when he finally woke, his tone still raspy with involuntary exhaustion.

He jumped up with startled eyes, remembering what had happened before he was knocked out. Looking around at what appeared to be a warehouse with five wide rows of shelved boxes, Jake stood up groggily. On his way up, he realized that he was bounded by up. He growled in annoyance, tugging on the chains with both his left arm and right foot.

He exhaled after a few moments of tugging, leaning against the brick wall behind him and giving his sore limbs a break. He surveyed the area around him a second time, noticing the video camera facing him from a few feet away. With the tripod, it stood at about 5 ft tall.

Turning to the right, he noted the square table with his belongings.

"Ah, you're awake."

Jake glared at the blonde man in recognition as he approached him through the small isle. He narrowed his deep blue eyes as Lonnie moved closer, carrying a plastic box.

He doesn't say a word as Lonnie placed the box on the table next to him.

The blonde man walked towards the video camera, turning it on before making eye contact with Jake.

"I gotta say Jake, this whole thing has _really_ made my day! I mean, I never anticipated meeting you," Lonnie paused, moving away from the video camera and sending Jake a malicious grin.

"You're like a celebrity in my book! I'm a HUGE fan of your work back in Brazil. You were an animal! Chopping off limbs, playing a game of "Five Finger Fillet" with your victims hands! Even my employer... my _former_ employer is intrigued with your work!"

Jake shook his head, scoffing before turning back to Lonnie.,"My style of doing things was played out. A simple rookie mistake."

"No, it was genius! What you did was raw, unleashing the monster that was inside you all along. You were unstoppable! Even that guy that pushed you around, Paolo, got his karma. That's what happens when you mess with the "Ghost" of Rio De Janeiro," The lunatic pauses again, pulling out a lighter and a photo from his jean pocket.

He then approached Jake's chained form, shaking his head as he clicked his tongue.

"Its a shame really. That _she_ halted your creativity."

Lonnie turned over the photo between his fingers, revealing a tan young woman.

Jake's face paled as he stared at the picture in shock. His gaze was locked on the photo, he recognized those pale blue eyes. _Her_ pale blue eyes.

He still remembered what she said when they parted ways, he remembered how the slight heartbreak in her voice made him feel.

_"I need space, and you need to go home J. That's where you belong."_

In less than a second, he lunged forward just as Lonnie stepped back with vicious smile.

"Where the fuck did you get that?! I swear to God, when I get out of these chains, you are so fucking screwed!"

Lonnie chuckled, flicking the lighter and lowering the photo to the flame, "Its funny really. The guy I worked for, was obsessed with the girl. Photos, surveillance, anything to keep tabs on Maia. She-"

A sudden scream interrupted Lonnie, followed by a series of heart wrenching sobs. After crunching up the burnt photo, he growled in annoyance, turning towards the office upstairs.

"Heh, look at that. I guess I'm going to have to chop off another finger."

Before he got the chance to move too far away, Jake reached out to attack. He lurched forward, wrapping his chained arm around Lonnie in a loose chokehold. The pipe that was attached to the chain had loosened from the force of his tug.

Lonnie elbowed him in the nose hard, leaving behind a deep gash at the base, freeing himself of the hold. But before he could retaliate further, a crash came from above as the skylight shattered into pieces.

Green Arrow landed smoothly from the ceiling, Speedy trailing just behind with her drawn bow. They both go after Lonnie as he dashed down the isle.

Moments later, Black Canary charged through the exit door and made her way to Jake. Spartan entered the warehouse after her, his firearm trained as he sprinted up the stairs to retrieve Madison.

Black Canary removes the chains from Jake and places a gloved hand on his shoulder in reassurance before leading him towards the exit.

On his way out, Jake turned back, his attention as Speedy electrocuted Lonnie, singeing half of his face. The last thing he witnessed before leaving was Green dragging her away from the burnt corpse.

* * *

**Starling General Hospital**

Jake picked up his phone and slipped on his leather jacket with a grunt. When were those nurses going to understand that he was fine? Besides the busted nose, which he ended up getting stitches for. After the whole fiasco with Lonnie, he was rushed to the hospital along with Madison. She needed more help than he did, emotionally and physically.

He understood why, but he didn't want anyone to see his scars. He didn't feel like explaining them yet.

He raised his head as the door to his room opens, revealing his mother. She approached him with crossed arms.

"You need to get checked. We need to know if you have any other injuries."

Jake groaned. "Mom, I swear to you that I'm fine. Okay? I just need some sleep."

"Just because you feel fine, it doesn't mean you are." She moved closer and attempted to remove his jacket despite his protest. When she tugged on the right sleeve, the jacket rubbed up against the outside of shirt. It pulled the shirt along with it, exposing a bright pink scar on his right shoulder.

Jake froze as his mother grazed her fingertips along the small cut. He jerked away quickly, avoiding her gaze.

The older woman stared at her son in shock. She ran a hand through her graying hair and tried to make sense of her discovery. Soon after, she broke the silence, her voice cracking just a bit.

"You were gone for 4 years, and you didn't contact me, Laurel, or Thea." She paused, choking on her words as a sudden realization washed over her.

"Something happened, and it prevented you from reaching out to us."

While still avoiding his mothers eyes, Jake turned to the window behind him.

"Jacob," his mother began in a serious tone, "You need to tell me what happened, you can talk to me."

"It doesn't matter." Jake muttered, avoiding the subject.

"It matters to me! You're my son! I deserve to at least know where you've been."

Jake turned around swiftly, balling his fists in anger and frustration.

"Fine! You wanna know what happened to me?" He paused, roughly tossing his phone to the side.

"I changed. I'm not just that goofy, smartass kid anymore. I'm darker now, I got so many demons. I can't wake up every morning without looking at my hands covered in blood. And I can't go by each day without thinking about the way dad _died_!"

He sighed after looking into his mothers eyes, seeing the tears, "I came back home thinking I could go back. I missed you guys so much, and I wanted a reminder of the old me. But then that fucking psychopath kidnapped me, and it made me realize that I couldn't be who I was anymore."

Jake approached his mother with a soft, yet serious look in his eyes, "There is nothing you could've done to change that. So don't apologize."

A knock is suddenly heard from the door, and Jakes mother wiped at her eyes before opening the door.

Thea stood in the doorway, her eyes land on Jake immediately. She rushed into Jakes embrace just as his mother turned to leave the room.

His eyes widen in surprise when he pulled away, noticing the the tears in Thea's eyes.

"Don't cry, Queen. I'm okay." He teased with a laugh.

After wiping away her tears with a scoff, Thea reached over to touch the base of Jakes nose. Her fingers grazed over the reddened, stitched skin in the center.

"Ouch. Well, it's good your whole face isn't screwed up."

Jake grinned, crossing his arms, "Yep, I'm a pretty lucky guy. I still got a lot of people to impress with this bad boy!" He motioned to his face, winking as the woman in front of him rolled her eyes.

Soon after, he cleared his throat and crossed his arms, "How's Madison?"

Thea sighed, running a hand through her dark hair, "She's doing as well as we could expect. She's still shaken up."

She paused, letting out a sigh and looking down to her feet, "Jessica dropped out of the campaign."

Jake shook his head, "I get it. I'm not sure if I'd want to run either after something like that. It's still a shame, though. She would've been awesome at the role."

"Yeah, she would've," Thea turned back to Jake, uncrossing her arms.

"Hey, it's been a crazy year. And I know you just got back, but Laurel was thinking of going on a retreat this weekend. And I was going to join her. I _really_ need a break from this city."

Jake grinned once more, uncrossing his arms and shoving them into his pockets, "Oh, by all means. I know I'm not the only one who deserved a break."

He paused, his blue eyes brightening with a mischievous sparkle, "Have fun, I'll try to be here when you get back. **_Emphasis_** on try."

Thea scoffed with a smile, swatting at Jake's arm.

* * *

**Arrowcave**

"Darhk is planning something big, and we need find out what it is and stop him. Hiring Lonnie was just the beginning."

Oliver exhaled a deep sigh, removing what was left of his armor before turning to Felicity.

She was currently staring wide eyed at her computer screen, her fingers frozen next to the keyboard.

"Felicity."

The blonde turned away from her computer at the sound of her boyfriends sharp tone.

She blinked quickly, rubbing her hands together, "Sorry. It's just- It's better if I show you."

Oliver raised an eyebrow as he approached the center of the Arrowcave. He moved to stand behind Felicity, who pulled up a video.

"I took a look through the memory card you found from Lonnie's video camera. And ... I found this," She motioned to the screen before pressing play.

Oliver crossed his arms with a glare as he watched the footage.

_"Even that guy that pushed you around, Paolo, got his karma. That's what happens when you mess with the "Ghost" of Rio De Janeiro."_

_"Its a shame really. That she halted your creativity."_

Noticing how tense Oliver was after watching half of the footage, Felicity paused the video.

"What do you think we should do?" She reached out and placed a hand on his forearm.

Oliver swallowed the lump in his throat, his gaze on the screen unwavered as he spoke up.

"This stays between us for now. I need to know more before we make any moves."


End file.
